making each shot count, but there was too much blood. Weber wasn’t going to last long up there.
“Swing left and turn us around.” Lucky ordered as they neared a clearing without anyone blocking the way. They were nearly there. Just a little further and they’d be out of range. Above him the machine gun fire stopped and Phillips helped the now unconscious Weber back into the Humvee.
With a hard left Torres had them facing the right way and Lucky could see the two other Humvees had done the same. They were dealing with less incoming gunfire and were holding their own. It was one less thing to worry about as Phillips took Weber’s place in the turret and began returning fire on the insurgents who were still a threat. One moment the noise was deafening and then the next the assault subsided, only Phillips’s machine gun continued.
Torres was nearing the road again after their off road adventure to get turned around. Lucky scanned the perimeter, every insurgent that had been there had moved back. Something wasn’t right.
He had barely had time to register the change in their surroundings when an IED exploded, sending their Humvee skyward. He didn’t have time to yell to Phillips to get inside. As they were tossed through the air, he cursed himself for going off the main road to speed their retreat to find cover.
Each second seemed like minutes as they were tossed around in the Humvee before it finally landed on its side. Lucky was pressed against the door, hurt but it could have been worse. Torres remained in his seat, thanks to the seatbelt, and blood dripped from a gash on his head. Unconscious Weber had been tossed around but he wasn’t the only one. Phillips… “Where the hell is Phillips?”
“Gunny…” Torres stared just ahead of the Humvee to where the PFC laid.
“Fuck.” Lucky grabbed his rifle from the rack near the door hinge. “Get out. We’ve got to take cover before they open fire again.”
The rest of the convoy was just ahead. Doc was in there and he’d see to Phillips. Once they were out, they could determine Weber’s condition. Torres grabbed hold of the door and unhooked his belt. Within seconds they were out. “Get Weber, I’ll see to Phillips.” He didn’t wait for the Corporal to respond before heading to the PFC. Blood coated the sand around him. He lost too much blood but that what was more shocking was what was missing.
“Lucky.” She touched his arm.
Without thinking, he reached out and clasped her wrist roughly, instantly spotting the panic in her eyes. He loosened his grip but the damage had already been done. When he pulled his hand back from her, the red imprint he had left behind screamed at him. “Fuck.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know my boss had brought him here. The interview for tomorrow…they want both of you. She didn’t mention it.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He tipped his head toward her wrist. “Look what I did to you.”
“It’s nothing.” She pulled down the sleeve to her sweater, covering the mark.
“The hell it isn’t. I’m trying to convince you to give us a shot and I do something like that.” He focused on the mark on her wrist because it meant he could push back the memories of Kyle and that day, but even that wouldn’t stop the fact he would have to face the man who’d lost both his left leg and arm, the man who’d been burned along most of his left side, including his face. The man who’d been crippled because of him.
“Stop, Lucky.” She reached out to him but stopped mid-motion.
“See, now you’re too scared to touch me. The damage by that move will shatter whatever chance I had with you.”
“That’s not why I stopped.” She took a deep breath and let it out again. “If I touch you now, I might not be able to stop myself. This…” She held up her wrist as if he needed a reminder. “Means nothing. I could see you weren’t here, just lost in your memories, and I knew better than to touch you, but I
“Swing left and turn us around.” Lucky ordered as they neared a clearing without anyone blocking the way. They were nearly there. Just a little further and they’d be out of range. Above him the machine gun fire stopped and Phillips helped the now unconscious Weber back into the Humvee.
With a hard left Torres had them facing the right way and Lucky could see the two other Humvees had done the same. They were dealing with less incoming gunfire and were holding their own. It was one less thing to worry about as Phillips took Weber’s place in the turret and began returning fire on the insurgents who were still a threat. One moment the noise was deafening and then the next the assault subsided, only Phillips’s machine gun continued.
Torres was nearing the road again after their off road adventure to get turned around. Lucky scanned the perimeter, every insurgent that had been there had moved back. Something wasn’t right.
He had barely had time to register the change in their surroundings when an IED exploded, sending their Humvee skyward. He didn’t have time to yell to Phillips to get inside. As they were tossed through the air, he cursed himself for going off the main road to speed their retreat to find cover.
Each second seemed like minutes as they were tossed around in the Humvee before it finally landed on its side. Lucky was pressed against the door, hurt but it could have been worse. Torres remained in his seat, thanks to the seatbelt, and blood dripped from a gash on his head. Unconscious Weber had been tossed around but he wasn’t the only one. Phillips… “Where the hell is Phillips?”
“Gunny…” Torres stared just ahead of the Humvee to where the PFC laid.
“Fuck.” Lucky grabbed his rifle from the rack near the door hinge. “Get out. We’ve got to take cover before they open fire again.”
The rest of the convoy was just ahead. Doc was in there and he’d see to Phillips. Once they were out, they could determine Weber’s condition. Torres grabbed hold of the door and unhooked his belt. Within seconds they were out. “Get Weber, I’ll see to Phillips.” He didn’t wait for the Corporal to respond before heading to the PFC. Blood coated the sand around him. He lost too much blood but that what was more shocking was what was missing.
“Lucky.” She touched his arm.
Without thinking, he reached out and clasped her wrist roughly, instantly spotting the panic in her eyes. He loosened his grip but the damage had already been done. When he pulled his hand back from her, the red imprint he had left behind screamed at him. “Fuck.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know my boss had brought him here. The interview for tomorrow…they want both of you. She didn’t mention it.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He tipped his head toward her wrist. “Look what I did to you.”
“It’s nothing.” She pulled down the sleeve to her sweater, covering the mark.
“The hell it isn’t. I’m trying to convince you to give us a shot and I do something like that.” He focused on the mark on her wrist because it meant he could push back the memories of Kyle and that day, but even that wouldn’t stop the fact he would have to face the man who’d lost both his left leg and arm, the man who’d been burned along most of his left side, including his face. The man who’d been crippled because of him.
“Stop, Lucky.” She reached out to him but stopped mid-motion.
“See, now you’re too scared to touch me. The damage by that move will shatter whatever chance I had with you.”
“That’s not why I stopped.” She took a deep breath and let it out again. “If I touch you now, I might not be able to stop myself. This…” She held up her wrist as if he needed a reminder. “Means nothing. I could see you weren’t here, just lost in your memories, and I knew better than to touch you, but I
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